Surface-covering structure for a wall



F. E. ALLEN 2,859,843

SURFACE-COVERING STRUCTURE FOR A WALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H 5 V w /7INVENTOR.

FRANCIS E. ALLEN} f Nov. 11, 1958 Filed Sept. 12, 1955 ATTORNEYS United.States Patent P The present inventionrelates to improvements in asurface-covering structure for a wall, and it consists in thecombinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In my United States Patent No. 2,317,015, issued April 20, 1943, on afastening means for metal panels, I disclose a clip that has a clampingportion for gripping the upstanding flange of a panel. The clip also hasa hookshaped finger with an upstanding outer end designed'to enter aslot provided in the lower flange of the adjacent panel disposed in thenext higher course of panels. The upstanding outer'end of thehook-shaped finger carries a tongue that will become wedged against theside of the slot that receives the finger, and holds the panel frommoving toward or away from the-supporting surface to which the clip isattached.

A different type of clip is. illustrated in the William A. Barrowspatent, Number 2,379,269, issued on June 26, 1945, and used forporcelain enameled panel mounting. This clip has spaced fingers forengaging with upper and lower faces of the top flange on the panel tosupport the panel. Such a clip prevents the top flange of the panelbeing provided with an upwardly extending weather flange. 1

Another patent issued to me on August 18, 1953, Patent No. 2,649,172,pertains to an architectural panel. It is this type of panel that I showin the present case as being supported by my improved clip.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved mounting clip forarchitectural panels that has panel supporting and positioning fingersfor gripping and supporting a panel at its top flange while providingspace for receiving the weather flange that extends upwardly from theinner edge of the top flange. The fingers are so shaped as to permit theclip to be rocked into gripping position on the top flange forsupporting the panel. The fingers also engage both surfaces of theweather flangea e The" clip has two supporting fingers and anintermediate positioning finger, the latter being designed to contactthe outer surface of the top flange and the adjacent surface of theupstandingweather flange. The intermediate. positioningfinger ishook-shaped and the upstanding end vof the hookis designed to enter aslot provided in theb ottom flange of the next higher panel for boldingthe lower end of thispanel from moving inwardly or outwardly withrespect to the supporting wall to which the clip is attached;

.Still another object ofsmy invention is to provide novel means forpermitting the clips for successive courses of panels tobe arranged oneabove another in a vertical line even though the clip supporting onepanel is entirely concealed by the adjacentpanel disposed thereabov'e. fThe bottom flange-of each panel has at least two slots spaced equaldistances from the sides of the panel, andthe upstanding weather stripextending from the top flangeisprovided with openings or other type ofmark equal in number to the slots and these openings 2,859,843 PatentedNov. 11, 1958 ice .or marks are centered with the slots. The operatorthen Drawings My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of two architectural panels, each beingsupported by two of my panel-mounting I clips.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the panels illustrated in Figure 1 andshows how the clips are secured to a supporting surface;

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the clip and adjacent panelportion enclosed in the dot dash circle indicated at H1 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken along the line V-V ofFigure l; and

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the panel supporting clips. I

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should beunderstood that various changes, or modifications, may be made withinthe scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spiritthereof.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a panel A of the type shownin my Patent No. 2,649,172. Two of the panels A are shown in Figure 1,and a brief description of one will suffice forboth. The panel A has afront flat surface 19 of rectangular shape and each of the four edges ofthe panel is flanged rearwardly as indicated at 11, 12, 13 and 14. Thetop flange is 11 and the left hand flange is 12 with the bottom flangebeing numbered 13 and the right hand flange is given number 14. Both thetop flange 11 and the left hand flange 12 are provided with weatherflanges 15 and 16 respectively. The two receding flanges 13 and 14 whichin this case represent the bottom and right side of the panel areofsomewhat less width than the flanges 11 and 12 (note flange 14 in Figure4), so that when several panels are arranged in a group the sides 13 and14 will overlie the weather flanges 15 and 16 of adjacent panels withoutcausing the surface of the panel to protrude beyond the surfaces ofadjacent panels. In Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the bottomflange 13 of the upper panel A, overlies the weather flange 15 of thenext lower panel A.

The two weather flanges 15 and 16 are joined by a corner A see Figure 1,that is depressed or set back a distance equal approximately to doublethe thickness of the material of which it is formed. The right hand endof the Weather flange 15 has a depressed corner A and this corner isdepressed or set back a distance equal to one thickness of the materialof which it is formed. The reasons for these set back corners A and Aare set forth in my Patent No. 2,649,172, and will not be explained inthis case.

The mounting clip B is shown in an isometric view in Figure 6. The clipis formed of one piece of metal and has a main body portion 20 with adiagonal row of openings 21 therein. The two side edges of the body areinwardly turned to form side flanges 22 that reinforce the clip and alsoact as spacing members to space the panel A from the supporting surfacea distance which is sufficient to permit the circulation of air betweenthe panels and the supporting surface. This will prevent condensarearedge of the flange 13.

tion taking place due to air being confined within the panels.

It will also be noted from Figure 6 that the clip has two sidepanel-supporting finger portions 20 and 20 on the ends of which areformed fingers 23 and 24. A central panel-positioning finger 25 ispositioned between the finger portions 20 and M The flanges 22 extenddown into the fingers 23 and 24 and tend to reinforce finger portions.These fingers 23 and 24 engage with the under surface 11a of the topflange 11 and support the entire weight of the panel A (see Figure 4).The lower portions of the flanges 22 not only reinforce thepanel-supporting fingers 23 and 24, but they also contact with the rearface 1521 of the weather flange 15 so as to prevent this fiangeandtherefore the panel from moving toward the supporting wall C.

The central panel-positioning finger 25 has a forwardly and downwardlyinclined portion 25a, see Figure 6, and a hook-shaped portion comprisinga back 2512, bottom 25c, and front 25d. The rear surface of the back 25bof the hook contacts with the adjacent front face of the weather flange15 and holds this flange as well as the panel A from moving away fromthe supporting wall C, see Figure 5. The bottom 25c of the hook contactswith the top surface of the flange 11 and cooperates with the sidefingers 23 and 24 in gripping the flange and supporting the panel. Thefingers 23, 24 and 25 therefore support the panel A and hold it rigidlyin place. They prevent vertical movement of the panel A with respect tothe clip B, and prevent horizontal movement of the panel toward or awayfrom the supporting wall C. A screw 26, see Figure 5, secures the clip Bto the supporting wall and the screw may be inserted in any one of thethree holes 21. This gives a person the choice of a wider area to insertt re screw in the wall C.

The forward upstanding portion 25d of the hook 25 is for the purpose ofpositioning the lower flange 13 of the next higher panel A and holdingthis panel against movement in a horizontal plane toward or away fromthe supporting wall C. Figure shows the upstanding portion 25d, enteringa slot 27, provided in the lower flange 13. This slot 27 is wider thanthe portion 25d (see Figure l), and thus it is only necessary toapproximately straddle the opening '17 with the clip in order that thisportion will enter the slot. This opening defines a reference means forpositioning the clip. The inner surface of the back 251) contacts withthe rear edge of the flange 13 and the inner surface of the upstandingportion 25d contacts with the rearmost side of the slot 27 disposednearest the V In this way the flange 13 is gripped'by the hook 255 andthe lower portion of the panel A cannot move toward or away from thesupporting wall C.

It will therefore be seen that the clip B supports the top of one paneland also holds this top and the bottom of the next higher panel, againstmovement toward or away from the supporting wall. It is possible tospace the lower flange 13 of one panel any desired distance from theupper flange 11 of the next lower panel, up to the height of theupstanding portion 25d because it is the portion that is received in theslot 27. Also the weather flange 15 will permit any desired Verticalspacing between adjacent panels up to the extent of the height of theupstanding portion 25d of the hook 25. Any type of filler D may be usedbetween the upper flange 11 of one panel A and the lower flange 13 ofthe panel disposed directly thereabove. A caulking strip of the typeshown in my copending case, Serial No. 394,562, filed November 27, 1953,now Patent No. 2,761,199, could be used if desired.

in the mounting of the panels on the wall C, it is necessary that thepanels be arranged one above the other in vertical alignment. if thelower panel A in Figure 1, is taken as the first or lowest course ofpanels on the wall. it will be seen that the clips B, supporting thetops of these panels, will be concealed by the next course of panels. Itwould be difficult to align the second course of panels and theremaining courses in vertical alignment unless some way was provided foraligning the clips B of the second course vertically with respect to theclips supporting the lower course of panels. In other words some meansshould be provided 'for arranging the clips in successive courses, invertical rows.

This is accomplished first by placing the end slots 27 in the lowerflange 13 of the panel A, the same distance from the side flanges 12 and14. If more than two slots 27 are provided, the additional slots wouldbe positioned predetermined distances from the end slots. Secondly, thetop weather flange 15 is provided with openings 17 equal in number tothe slots 13, and the openings are positioned so as to be midway betweenthe ends of the slots 27. For example in Figure 1, I have shownvertically arranged dot dash lines 28 and 29 that bisect the slots 27 inthe lower flange 13 and also extend through the centers of the openings17 provided in the weather flange 15.

The operator therefore in mounting the higher panel A, after the lowerone has already been mounted, first places the slots 27 of the lowerflange 13, in registration with the hooks 25 on the clips B that supportthe lower panel, and then he moves the panel downwardly to thread theupstanding portions 250. of the hooks through the slots. When now thetop of the upper panel is swung toward the supporting wall C, the clipssupporting the lower panel will be entirely hidden from view. This iswhere the openings 17 in the weather flange 15, play an important part.The operator slides the two clips B that have been already mounted onthe top of the upper panel, into positions where the hooks 25 will coverthe openings 17. The operator knows when the openings 17 will bepositioned midway between the sides of the hook and this will inform himthat the clips on the upper panel will be in vertical alignment with theconcealed clips that support the lower panel. The upper clips can now besecured to the supporting surface C by inserting the screws 26 in anydesired one of the three openings 21 in the clips. This operation isrepeated for each course of panels as they are secured to the supportingwall. The clips in the successive courses will therefore be verticallyaligned and this will assure that the panels A will be alignedvertically also.

The clips B perform a number of functions which have been set forthalready and they are summarized as follows:

(1) Each panel floats because it is entirely supported in a verticalposition by two or more clips that are attached to the top of the panel;

(2) The clips space the panels from the supporting wall so as to preventdead air space;

(3) The clips can be snapped into place on the panel top and then slidalong into correct position;

(4) The panels have openings in the top weather flange that are centeredvertically with respect to the slots in the lower flange forconstituting positioning means for the clips; 7

(5) The clips entirely support the top of the panel and hold the paneltop as well as the bottom of the next higher panel, from moving in orout with respect to the supporting wall;

(6) The clips permit vertical spacing between adjacent courses of panelsto be varied within predetermined limits,

(7) The clips enter slots in the panels and prevent the panels fromwalking along the side of the wall they cover; and

(8) The clips permit the panels to expand vertically and transverselywithin vertical limits, due to changes in temperature.

The clip is designed to give a large wall bearing surface to facilitate,solid fastening and alignment for the panels. This large area alsogives ample room to use mechanical fastening equipment such as explosivedriven fasteners. The panels A may be provided with insulating strips Eif desired, see Figure 5.

It is possible to use the clips B to engage with a side flange 12 of thepanel A to prevent lateral creeping of the panel and for holding itagainst the wall C. The flange 14 has a slot 30 to receive the hook 25of the clip and the side weather strip 16 has an opening 31 to permitthe clip B on the flange 12 to register with the clip that has thetongue entering the slot 30.

I claim:

1. In a surface covering structure for a wall, in combination, a pair ofarchitectural panels arranged one above the other in front of a wall,the lower panel having a front face provided with a rearwardly extendingtop flange at its top which projects toward the wall, said top flangehaving an upstanding weather flange connected thereto and projectingupwardly therefrom adjacent to the wall, the upper panel defining afront face fashioned with a rearwardly extending bottom flange at itsbottom, said bottom flange projecting toward the Wall, said bottomflange of the upper panel being disposed adjacent to said top flange ofthe lower panel and having a slot formed therein, a mounting clipanchoring the panels to the wall, said clip having an upright main bodyportion secured to the wall, said clip having side finger portionsextending downwardly from said main body portion in spaced relation toeach other, said side finger portions each having a side finger forsupporting a panel, said side fingers being spaced from each other andbeing formed at the ends of the side finger portions, a central panelpositioning finger connected to said main body portion and positionedintermediate said side fingers, said central finger being disposed at ahigher elevation on the clip than said side fingers, said side fingersextending forwardly from said finger portions and engaging with an undersurface of said top flange of said lower panel to support the latterpanel, said finger portions contacting with a rear face of the weatherflange of said lower panel so as to prevent the latter flange frommoving toward the wall, said central finger having a forwardly anddownwardly inclined portion overlying the top of said weather flange,said central finger having a hook-shaped portion comprising a back,bottom and front extending downwardly from said inclined portion and inspaced relation to said side finger portions, the rear surface of saidback contacting with an adjacent front face of said weather flange andholding this flange from moving away from said side finger portions andthe wall, the bottom of said hook-shaped portion contacting the uppersurface of said top flange of said lower panel above said fingers andcooperating with said fingers in gripping this flange and supportingsaid lower panel against vertical movement, the front of said hookportion extending upwardly through said slot in said bottom flange ofsaid upper panel, a rear surface of the front of said hook contactingwith a rearmost side of said slot in said bottom flange to therebyrestrain said bottom flange from moving away from the wall, said back ofsaid hook having a forward surface contacting a rear edge of the latterbottom flange to hold this flange from moving toward the wall.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 including said mounting clipbeing adjustable laterally in either direction along said weather flangeprior to attachment of said clip to the wall, said weather flange havingreference means thereon at the approximate location to which the clipmust be adjusted for entrance of said hook into the slot in said bottomflange of said upper panel.

3. A mounting clip for supporting an architectual panel comprising anupright body adapted to be secured to a wall, said body having a mainportion adapted to extend parallel to and abut the wall, said bodyhaving side finger portions extending below said main portion, a pair ofspaced side flanges extending longitudinally along said main bodyportion and said finger portions, said finger portions terminating inpanel supporting fingers projecting outwardly from said finger portionsto one side of said main body portion, said side flanges merging intosaid panel supporting fingers, said side flanges projecting outwardly ofsaid main body and said finger portions to the same side as said panelsupporting fingers, a central panel positioning finger disposed betweensaid side finger portions, said central panel positioning finger beingconnected to said main body portion, but being spaced from said sidefinger portions, said central panel positioning finger comprising afirst forwardly and downwardly inclined portion attached to said mainbody portion and extending outwardly and downwardly from said main bodyportion, on the same side as said flanges, a hook-shaped portionextending downwardly from said downwardly inclined portion, saidhook-shaped portion comprising a back member extending parallel to saidmain body and said finger portions, a bottom extending laterally withrespect to said main body and finger portions outwardly from said mainbody and finger portions in the same direction as said flanges, saidhook-shaped portion further comprising a front member extending upwardlyfrom said bottom member parallel to said main body portion, said back,bottom and front members of said hook-shaped portion being disposedoutwardly from said side flanges, said panel supporting fingersterminating outwardly from said main body portion at substantially theinner end of said bottom with respect to said main body portion andbeing spaced below said bottom with respect to said main body portion.

Allen Apr. 20, 1943 Barrows June 26, 1945

